The space for the unification of civil society organizations in Guinea-Bissau this Monday considered the seizure of the Supreme Court (STJ) by armed men without the permission of the government to be serious, the organization said in a statement.
Meeting urgently in Bissau, the space that brings together more than 30 civil society organizations, in a statement to which Lusa had access, declares that what is happening in STJ “represents an affront to the structural principles of the Rule of Law.”
Since Friday, STJ facilities in Bissau have been occupied by hooded men, armed and dressed in the uniform of the Guinea-Bissau Defense and Security Forces.
“According to media reports, the residence of the STJ President was also surrounded by another group of armed men,” the Guinea Civil Society Organizations Concert Space also said in a statement.
In this structure, everything is due to internal disputes between the judges of the Supreme Court, which led to the removal from office, firstly, of the president of this body, José Pedro Samba, by the vice-president of Lima, António André, who accuses him of interfering and obstructing judicial proceedings pending under the jurisdiction of another judge.
A few days later, Sambu decided to remove Lima Andre from his duties, whom he accused of usurping the powers of the STJ president.
Last Friday, a third armed men took over the premises of STJ, and family sources of José Pedro Sambu said his residence in the Bissalanca area on the outskirts of Bissau was also surrounded by armed men.
“This serious incident occurred at a time when this highest body of justice in Guinea is immersed in a completely unnecessary internal dispute that could call into question its reputation and authority,” said the Space for Reconciliation of Civil Society.
The structure calls on the government to guarantee the security of citizens and sovereign bodies, while condemning the “unequivocally illegal occupation” of the STJ headquarters “by forces outside its activities.”
Civil society demands the “immediate withdrawal” of these people from the STJ, calls on conflicting parties in that body to prioritize dialogue, and warns political players “of the risks and serious consequences of politicizing” the situation.
The President of the Guinean Parliament, Domingos Simões Pereira, on Saturday demanded an explanation from the government while simultaneously taking measures to restore normal life in STJ.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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